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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — a grade
  4. fork — in a road
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. branch — a division
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — a permit
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. stem — to come from

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com